If there is a verse that you need to log into your memory it's John 1:16, "And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." This is important because when we understand that the grace of God is the operating power of God then we have everything we need.
I'm learning that sensitivity to the Spirit of God within me takes time and practice. I, like many of you, wish the process was much quicker. I would love to be able to get it right all the time. I would love to know that I will always access the love, joy, peace, etc. of the Spirit immediately and in every situation. However, that's not always true in my life. It's in those moments that I am truly grateful for the mercy of God when I get it "wrong" and the grace of God to get it right.
Grace on the "Fly":
The reality for each of us is that we have to learn how to use grace as we move through life. Not every situation allows us to spend 30 minutes in prayer to respond. We aren't guaranteed to have moments of solitude to "work up" our faith so that we know what is available. This is where we have to learn to use our faith to access what God has given to us. That means in every situation and every relationship I'm aware of what is available in the Spirit. Rather than reacting to the people in my life, I'm having to learn how to respond through the Spirit of God. I cannot allow their anger, their disappointment, or their failures to control me. They don't get to push my buttons. Instead, I respond through the work of Holy Spirit. I tap into the nature of Christ that is within me.
That sounds like a good plan doesn't it? But sometimes the best laid plans don't work out. Sometimes we get caught in our emotions. Sometimes we will have to bank on the mercy of God for our mistakes and use the grace of God to pick up the pieces. The key for each of us is to never allow our "failures" to define us. We don't stop because it seems too hard. It's in this moment that we understand just how powerful the grace of God is in our lives.
Do this with me: Settle in your heart once and for all that God is good, God's love will never fail you, God is compassionate and merciful in your life, and that God is for you. When you can establish your heart in these truths then you will be able to get out of the mire of your own thinking. You will be able to overcome the disappointment that you just created. And you will be able to enjoy the peace and joy of God much quicker. At least that is my experience.
I hope to encourage you today. We are all learning how to walk with the Lord. We are all learning how to incorporate this faith into our every day lives. We are learning how to manifest the nature of Christ in our relationships. It may take a lot of grace and mercy (at least in our mind). But God knows our hearts and longs for us to be conformed to the image of His Son. This is our destiny and it will be worked out in our lives as we continue to partner with Him. It's a journey. Don't stumble over your mistakes - learn from them. Don't quit over your failures - be strengthened by them. In the end, you will learn a lot about yourself and you will learn a lot about the nature of God.
3 comments:
If you haven't already noticed, I kind of stalk your blog lol. But this is good stuff. Very encouraging.
Thanks. I'm glad to share. And...just in case you haven't noticed, I share a lot of stuff that works for me. I try not to go any deeper than what I have experienced or what I hope to experience.
All you can do. We over complicate too much anyhow (and by "we," I mean, "me").
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